A revolver is your best choice for woods carry. Reliable, simple, versatile, and available in more powerful cartridges than an auto. Midsize frame single actions are pretty slim and easy to carry compared to similar double actions. Hammer spur on a single action is the biggest negative. 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 45 Colt, etc, take your pick. I carry a 4" Flattop Blackhawk in 45 Colt, that's just the combination I prefer. 45 Colt, and others that throw a big *** bullet downrange moving at a good clip, are just what you need for the type of situation you might encounter walking around the woods. That once and million chance that something with more teeth and claws than you can count tries to eat you, and at best you have the chance to get off one or two shots.